How to Get Rid of Morning Sickness

So, remember when I said that being pregnant isn't so bad?

That's my perspective now, midway through the third trimester.

At Week Six?

Very different story.

Something you might not already know: the worst part of pregnancy happens before you can tell people you're pregnant. By the time I hit 12 weeks and shared the news, the worst was over. But before then? Very different story.

As you all know, I found out I was pregnant in mid-August. Because of the way that doctors "date" your pregnancy, it turns out that by the time you know you're pregnant, you're almost four weeks pregnant (because pregnancy technically "starts" on day one of your period, weeks before the baby is even conceived -- I know, very weird). Morning sickness kicks in a few weeks later, around six weeks.

So for me, it kicked in right around the end of August/beginning of September.

Want to know what's also the beginning of September?

Fall Fashion Week.

I know, I know: Great timing. Just the point when you want to be puking your guts out. That week when you're trying to look your best and also be extremely covert about being pregnant.

So, the whole puking five times a day thing? Not going to fly.

Overall, I got hardly any morning sickness, but in those first few weeks, I was terribly sick. I was vomiting multiple times a day, to the point where my doctor gave me a prescription for Zofran to try to keep anything down. And while it worked and helped a lot, I wasn't super excited about having to take any medication every day, even a pregnancy-safe one.

So I tried my own remedies.

And you know what?

THEY WORKED.

I am not kidding. I went from vomiting multiple times per day to being hardly sick at all, within days. Thankfully, I switched up my routine about five days before I was scheduled to leave for NYFW, and do you know how many times I got sick during that crazy week? Zero.

These tricks worked so well that by the end of the week, I was actually concerned that something had gone wrong with the baby. (Thankfully, he was fine.) So I figured I had to share them with you guys!

So, here's what I did:

Changed Vitamins

So, the moment I got pregnant, I was told by the nurse at my doctor's office that store-bought prenatal vitamins were better than nothing, but that I should really take prescription prenatals, which have higher doses of folic acid. So I went out and spent $98 on a bottle of 30 vitamins (ugh).

But sadly, those high-quality, extremely expensive vitamins made me insanely sick. And I will say: I'm very sensitive to vitamins. I tried store-bought prenatals when we lived in New York, long before I was pregnant, and the first morning I took one, I threw up into a trash can in a subway station during our morning commute. (Lovely, I know.)

I wanted to do the best thing for the baby, but you know what? One fully digested non-prenantal vitamin seems like a better choice than a super expensive prescription one that gets thrown up half an hour later. So I looked at the ingredients, and I realized that I could get basically everything I needed from my regular old Flinstones vitamins with a special Folic Acid supplement. (I eventually added, on my doctor's recommendation, a DHA supplement as well).

Sure, I have to have three bottles of vitamins. But it seems like a small price to pay!

Added a B6 Supplement

There aren't many things that have been proven to ease morning sickness, but B6 is one of the few things that is! (In fact, higher doses are added to many prenatal vitamins for that reason). I wanted a 50 mg dose, but couldn't find one in any drugstores or on Amazon, so I settled for 100 mg pills that I cut in half.

I took half of one of these pills every morning until I hit 12 weeks, and occasionally afterwards if I was feeling queasy. And I have to say: miracle.

Candy, Candy and More Candy

No one is quite sure what causes morning sickness, but many doctors suspect that stomach acid and blood sugar may play a part. (That's why it's worse in the morning, when your stomach is empty.)

Lots of women swear by eating crackers before they get out of bed, to put something in their stomach. I tried it, with so-so results.

But you know what worked for me?

Eating candy before I got out of bed.

I know, I know: gross. The idea of eating Airheads or Laffy Taffy before brushing your teeth is, admittedly, kind of disgusting. But candy raised my blood sugar enough that I could get through washing my face, brushing my teeth, and make it downstairs for some toast and eggs as a normal breakfast.

Seriously, I slept with a bag of Jolly Ranchers next to our bed for the entire first trimester. And you know what? It worked.

So those are the secrets! Every woman is different, but if you're extremely sick and don't know what to do, you might want to ask your doctor about giving these a try! They made a world of difference for me.

I'm not a doctor and don't know anything about your pregnancy, so please consult with a medical professional before trying any of these tips! Good luck!